A big win for the Western region producer exhibition at the recent Royal Easter Show in Sydney – featuring local wines, alpaca fleeces, fruits, nuts, and veggies – is a timely boost for the upcoming Orange event being held in May.

Country shows including the Colour City’s, traditionally feature a travelling version of the Sydney display – packed-up and reconfigured from week-to-week – that is usually one of the most popular exhibits each year, Orange Show Secretary, Tess Crossley revealed.

With local families providing produce and creative contributions to the Western Division display, the region’s first win in the competition since 1989, is a good omen, she added.

“We normally do get the backdrop of the display as an exhibit and, for a number of years, have supported and helped the Western Division exhibition,” Tess explained.

“They’re very popular with Show-goers, last year we had the ‘Wizard of Oz’ exhibition, and the year before that, the ‘Mushroom’ one; people love to see them… … our main agricultural pavilion itself, is originally from the Sydney Showground,” she added.

With new blood always sought to keep this annual institution going, volunteering for the century-old Show Society is looking-up, Tess revealed.

“With the Show on Saturday and Sunday, May 9–10, we’re always looking for volunteers and our arms are always open.

“On that, it’s been lovely to have some new faces with a couple of RFS (Rural Fire Service) members who usually man the gate, now joining the Show; we’ve also had some recruits from ‘Rural Youth’ and ‘Young Women’, so that’s great for us too!”

Tess is herself a lifetime supporter with strong family connections going back generations and is committed to seeing the Show survive and thrive in the years ahead.

“I’m fifth generation on the land, with both my mother and great aunt for many years Show judges for events like photography, show jumping, sheep and livestock… I grew-up with the Show.

“Beginning in 2015, I got involved myself working to make the event a success, I also do two other jobs as well; in 2017, I was Miss Orange Showgirl, and have been secretary the last three years” she said.

With a number of smaller bush communities having lost their traditional agricultural shows in recent years as current fuel costs, rising insurance, and subdued economic activity continues to impact their viability, she believes people have to step-up to make a difference.

“If we don’t get the support, we’re simply not going to be here for the future.

“The amount of times we have to say to people, ‘we can’t afford that’, we only have a certain budget, and can only cover so many things… in the end, we can only do, what we can do,” Tess admitted.

A grand old country community tradition going back 150 years, she said that agricultural shows are far more than just sideshow alley, sample bags, battered savs, and fairy floss.

“They bring the community together in a way that other events simply can’t; for both country people and town folk,” Tess said.

“They’re also a great chance for young people, as they open-up a whole set of doors and connections and offer chances they would not otherwise have, I can’t tell you the people I come across, simply from my time at the Show,” she concluded.